Child survivor of cancer welcomed by classmates

Brennan Campbell dances with students and his teacher Sonia Reeves during a welcoming party for him at Oakland Terrace School in Panama City, Fla. on Friday

Andrew P. Johnson / The News Herald

By Jacqueline Bostick / The News Herald

Published: Sunday, December 16, 2012 at 04:45 PM.

PANAMA
CITY
— Though Brennen Campbell’s school mates did not know he would make a special appearance at the school’s dance, they welcomed him as if they’d been waiting on his arrival all along.

“We’ve been really looking forward to this day,” said Sonia Reeves, a fourth-grade teacher at
Oakland
Terrace
School
. “We just want to welcome him back.”

On Friday, the school held a sock hop — a 1950s style of dance — to honor Brennen, a fourth-grader who had to withdraw from the school after being diagnosed and treated for Burkitt’s lymphoma Dec. 20 last year.

Now, he is cancer free.

As little fingers pointed to the ceiling while dancing to a disco rendition of Aretha Franklin’s “Respect,” the students initially were completely unaware of Brennen’s arrival.

But when the music stopped and he entered, claps rang out all over the cafeteria.

PANAMA CITY — Though Brennen Campbell’s school mates did not know he would make a special appearance at the school’s dance, they welcomed him as if they’d been waiting on his arrival all along.

“We’ve been really looking forward to this day,” said Sonia Reeves, a fourth-grade teacher at OaklandTerraceSchool. “We just want to welcome him back.”

On Friday, the school held a sock hop — a 1950s style of dance — to honor Brennen, a fourth-grader who had to withdraw from the school after being diagnosed and treated for Burkitt’s lymphoma Dec. 20 last year.

Now, he is cancer free.

As little fingers pointed to the ceiling while dancing to a disco rendition of Aretha Franklin’s “Respect,” the students initially were completely unaware of Brennen’s arrival.

But when the music stopped and he entered, claps rang out all over the cafeteria.

“What better way for them to see that people can survive cancer,” Reeves said, and to “let him know that we haven’t forgot about him.”

It had been nearly a year since Brennen attended school and besides periodically meeting up with his classmates, they had not officially reunited.

“I don’t know what it means for him,” said Michelle Smith, Brennen’s mom, fighting back tears.

Last week, Brennen received a clearance to start school again and will return in January, she said.

“It’s amazing just seeing him walking around with all the students; it’s just great,” she added.

The child cancer survivor still will receive treatment over the next five years, Smith added.

Brennen was surprised by the party in his name; his mother had told him he was going to a meeting at the school.

“It was awesome,” Brennen said, adding that he was looking forward to going back to school and eating school lunch again.